Drinking apparatus

ABSTRACT

A drinking apparatus including: a container having a lid and defining an internal cavity for holding a body of liquid; a valve element operates in conjunction with an opening on the container and is operable between an open condition and a closed condition; the valve element is biased to the closed condition wherein the apparatus completely encapsulates the internal cavity to thereby prevent substances from being introduced to the cavity; and removal of the lid from the container results in an indication that the apparatus has been tampered with.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a drinking apparatus.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

When a drink is kept in a container such as a cup or glass, there existsthe risk that the drink may be deliberately contaminated by a personintroducing a substance into the cup or glass such as by dropping thesubstance into the upper opening of the cup or glass when the drink isleft unattended. This practice is colloquially known as “spiking adrink”. Drinks have reportedly been spiked with substances includingpharmaceutical substances, drugs or poisons in solid, liquid or powderform and even alcohol.

The effects on a person of having their drink spiked depend largely onthe substance involved. A person may introduce a toxic substance todeliberately harm or confuse the user, or may introduce a drug in orderto take advantage of the user when they are under the effects of thedrug.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect the present invention provides a drinking apparatusincluding a container having a lid and defining an internal cavity forholding a body of liquid; a valve element operates in conjunction withan opening on the container and is moveable between an open conditionand a closed condition; the valve element is biased to the closedcondition wherein the apparatus completely encapsulates the internalcavity to thereby prevent substances from being introduced to thecavity; and removal of the lid from the container results in anindication that the apparatus has been tampered with.

In this way, the apparatus keeps a drink in the container and preventssubstances from being added to the drink. If the lid of the container isremoved in an attempt to introduce a substance the indication oftampering alerts a user that the apparatus has been tampered with.

The indication that the apparatus has been tampered with may includedamage to either the lid or the cup.

The action of drawing liquid through the opening may cause the valveelement to move to the open condition.

The valve element may be biased to the closed condition by gravity.

The container may be a cup.

The lid may be arranged to be snap fitted to the container.

The lid and container may fit together closely to resist removal of thelid by use of a leveraging tool.

The opening may be the bore of a straw.

The straw may be marked on its outer surface in the region of the valveelement. This means that removal of that region of the straw is apparentto a user.

The region of the straw may be marked by colouring the region. Themarking may be luminous or flourescent.

The valve element may be luminous or fluorescent.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way ofexample only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of a drinking apparatus accordingto the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross section view along the line A-A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail view of region C of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view of region B of FIG. 2 with the valveelement in the open position;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail view of region B of FIG. 2 with the valveelement in the closed position;

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are top, side and plan views respectively of the valveelement of FIG. 2;

FIG. 9 is a top view of the straw and valve element according to analternative embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a cross section view along the line D-D of FIG. 9 showinginstallation of the valve element;

FIG. 11 is a cross section view along the line D-D of FIG. 9 showing thevalve element in the open position; and

FIG. 12 is a cross section view along the line D-D of FIG. 9 showing thevalve element in the closed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a drinking apparatus 10 is shown including acontainer in the form of cup 12 and a lid 14. Container 12 and lid 14define an internal cavity 11 for holding a body of liquid such as adrink. The apparatus includes an opening in the form of the bore 15 ofstraw 16. Straw 16 is retained with lid 14 such as by being integrallyformed with lid 14 by moulding the straw 16 and lid 14 as one component.Straw 16 includes a valve element in the form of plug 18. Plug 18includes through holes 20.

To use the apparatus, a drink is poured into cup 12 whilst lid 14 is notengaged with the cup. When the drink has been poured, lid 14 is snapfitted to cup 12. Lugs 22 on lid 14 engage under annular and inwardlydirected projection 24 on the inner surface of cup 12. After engaginglid 14 and cup 12, they cannot be separated without damaging either thelid 14 or the cup 12. This provides a tamper evident mechanism to alerta user to the possibility that the container has been interfered withand possibly has had a foreign substance introduced into it.

Referring to FIG. 3, lid 14 and cup 12 engage with a close fit. Thisprevents a levering tool, such as a knife blade or screwdriver, frombeing inserted between the lid 14 and cup 12 for the purpose of prisingoff lid 14.

Substances are prevented from being introduced to the containerthrough-bore 15 by valve element 18. Referring to FIG. 4, when a usersucks on straw 16 the fluid that rises up bore 15 causes plug 18 to moveto an open position. At other times, plug 18 is biased by the force ofgravity to the closed position shown in FIG. 5. In this position, plug18 rests on valve seat 19. Valve seat 19 blocks the through holes 20 inplug 18, thus preventing any foreign substances from by-passing plug 18to enter cavity 11.

Annular projection 21 prevents plug 18 from coming out of the upper endof straw 16. Annular projection 21 may be formed by applying heat andpressure to the straw to deform the straw.

Referring to FIGS. 9 to 12 an alternative embodiment of a valve elementof a drinking apparatus according to the invention is shown. In thisembodiment the valve element is in the form of a sphere 31. Theunderside of valve seat 19 includes a lead-in taper 26 which assist withinsertion of sphere 31 into the straw by use of mandrel tool 28. In theopen position, sphere 31 is prevented from exiting upper end of straw 16by covered end 30. Liquid may flow out of straw 16 through holes 32. Inthe closed position valve seat 19 prevents substances from by-passingthe sphere and entering the container.

The outside of straw 16 is coloured by application of a fluorescent orluminous non toxic dye (not shown) in the vicinity of sphere 31. Thefluorescent or luminous colouring improves visibility in low light ordark conditions. If the straw 16 is cut to remove the region of thestraw that houses the valve element, this will be readily apparent to auser because they will know to expect to see the coloured portion on thestraw of an apparatus that has not been tampered with. Similarly, thevalve element may be made luminous or fluorescent to alert a user if thevalve element is missing.

In another embodiment, lid 14 is formed with a concave region on itsupper surface which takes up all or part of the upper surface. Thisprovides a catchment area for any liquid substance that is placed on topof lid 14 and helps to prevent that liquid from running off lid 14 toenter the apparatus at the join between cup 12 and lid 14.

All parts of the apparatus are formed from a clear, recyclable plasticthat is difficult to penetrate with a hypodermic needle. A suitableplastic is Polypropylene Grade, wide spec. 4-14 Thermoplastic (TPE) orequivalent, talc filled with a low flow melt index.

After use, the container may be returned to a central collection point.At this collection point the lid is forcibly removed from the cupresulting in damage to either the cup or lid. Any liquid remaining inthe cup is discarded and the plastic components of the assembly arerecycled.

Whilst the embodiment of the invention described herein includes anaperture in the form of a straw it is not limited to this arrangement.

Any reference to prior art contained herein is not to be taken as anadmission that the information is common general knowledge, unlessotherwise indicated.

Finally, it is to be appreciated that various alterations or additionsmay be made to the parts previously described without departing from thespirit or ambit of the present invention.

1. A drinking apparatus including: a container having a lid and definingan internal cavity for holding a body of liquid; a valve elementoperates in conjunction with an opening on the container and is operablebetween an open condition and a closed condition; the valve element isbiased to the closed condition wherein the apparatus completelyencapsulates the internal cavity to thereby prevent substances frombeing introduced to the cavity; and removal of the lid from thecontainer results in an indication that the apparatus has been tamperedwith.
 2. A drinking apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the action ofdrawing liquid through the opening causes the valve element to move tothe open condition.
 3. A drinking apparatus according to claim 1 whereinthe valve element is biased to the closed condition by gravity.
 4. Adrinking apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the container is a cup.5. A drinking container according to claim 1 wherein the lid is arrangedto be snap fitted to the container.
 6. A drinking apparatus according toclaim 1 wherein the lid and container fit together closely to resistremoval of the lid by use of a leveraging tool.
 7. A drinking apparatusaccording to claim 1 wherein the opening is the bore of a straw.
 8. Adrinking apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the straw is marked onits outer surface in the region of the valve element.
 9. A drinkingapparatus according to claim 8 wherein the region of the straw is markedby colouring the region.
 10. A drinking apparatus according to claim 9wherein the region of the straw is marked by being fluorescent orluminous.
 11. A drinking apparatus according to claim 1 wherein thevalve element is luminous or fluorescent.
 12. A drinking apparatusaccording to claim 1 wherein the indication that the apparatus has beentampered with includes damage to either the lid or the cup.